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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Story Ideas Are Everywhere

Congratulations to "Taurus" the winner in Dana's giveaway. Thank you to all who participated!

Story ideas
are everywhere.

The beauty
of writing Romantic Suspense is the plethora of story ideas. Just spend ten
minutes watching the morning news and you’ll easily have 3 to 4 headlines that
can be turned into full length novels. Even the traffic report can spark my
imagination. ‘Fatality on Interstate 80stops traffic for miles’.

The
possibilities are endless.

Maybe your
hero is the CHP officer investigating the accident—who falls for the surviving
passenger— who now has to live with survivors guilt after losing her best
friend . . . and what about the accident? What was that urgent phone call the
driver received which diverted her attention, causing the chain of events that
killed her?

The morning news is where I came up with
the story idea for my first novel, Dangerous Embrace. The headline, ‘Woman fights off attacker after being thrown
into the bushes and assaulted’. I already had my character outlines; I just
needed my hook and a little help with the plot. What’s better than a woman fighting off an
attacker and ultimately getting the best of him? It was the perfect story to
fit my characters.

Sarah Jennings is
strong and she’s a fighter, refusing to let a man take from her again. She
needed to save herself. Enter Mark
Summors, my hero. He’s an alpha who doesn’t quite know what to do with someone
as independent and strong willed as Sarah. Of course I let Mark do a little saving in the
story too, but I wanted Sarah to be a strong woman, yet vulnerable enough to
need Mark’s help. The plot blossomed from there.

Synopsis:

Sarah Jennings wants nothing more than a
quiet life—alone.
Raised by an eccentric mother, their life on the road only taught her how to
run away from hard times. But when she finds herself in an abusive
relationship, this lesson serves her well.

Now, back in her hometown, she's found a
place she loves. She’s a first grade teacher, and with few friends and less
family around, she has what she wants, a quiet life under the radar where she
can be free of her past and live quietly. Finally comfortable in her own skin,
she’s settled, and less fearful than she’s ever been in her life.

But it only takes one night and one act
of violence for everything to change. Injured and afraid, Sarah wants to run
again, but Mark Summors refuses to let her go.

Just when Sarah thinks she can have Mark
and the life he promises, her past comes back to haunt her.

Mark Summors was born and raised in
Santa Rosa. He married his high school sweetheart and never questioned his
life, until he found his wife with another man.

Now divorced, he wants something more.
He’s passionate about his job, he wants to protect people, and he devotes his
life to it.

This time he’s protecting more than just another client, he’s protecting his
future; at least, Sarah Jennings will be his future, once he convinces her she
loves him.

Excerpt:

Sarah’s entire face lit on fire. “Do
you think I’ve been acting? What? A game between me and an old boyfriend? Or do
you just think I’m a complete whack job and a liar?”

“No—no, Sa-rah.” He shifted in his
chair to face her. “I was there—of course, I don’t think you’re lying. That’s
not what I meant.”

Sarah leaned forward in her chair and
rested her face in her hands.

He reached out and touched her arm.
“I’m sorry. You’ve been through hell. I would never take that lightly.”

“Do you think I like this? Do you
think I’m looking for pity? I hate this. I hate being a victim. I hate having
my choices taken away by someone bigger and stronger than me.” She braced her
hand on her knee and got to her feet. “I’m going for a walk.”

And she was gone, walking toward the
water, holding her sweater closed with her free hand.

Mark did a mental head smack. Great
job ruining the day, you jerk. He wasn’t even sure what he had just done,
and he still didn’t know who Kevin was. Maybe it didn’t matter, but people
don’t scream like that in their sleep for nothing.

He dropped his head back, his eyes
drifting up to the cloudless, bright blue sky. He understood why she loved this
place. He wished he’d brought a tent so she could spend the night.

He lifted his head to watch Sarah.
She walked along the waterline, and from his spot, it looked like the waves
were taller than her. They crashed hard before spreading foam across the sand
at her feet. To his right, waves beat against huge rocks, sending sea spray
fifty feet up. The sound of the waves and crying seagulls was seriously
relaxing, and he hoped they did their magic on her, especially since he’d just
ruined her mood.

Looking at her now, he was overcome
with an intense urge to go to her, hold her, and feel her wrapped within his
embrace. He wanted to know what her sweater felt like, and the faded jeans on
her legs. Run his hands through her wavy hair and smell it.Dana will be giving away a digital copy of DANGEROUS EMBRACE to one lucky commenter.

Giveaway ends 11:59pm EST Oct. 9th. Please supply your email in the post. You may use spaces or full text for security. (ex. jsmith at gmail dot com) If you do not wish to supply your email, or have trouble posting, please email maureen@justromanticsuspense.com with a subject title of JRS GIVEAWAY to be entered in the current giveaway.

I an currently reading Dangerous Embrace and it has me completely hooked! You are so right about story ideas being everywhere - the minute I step out of the house something hits me!Congratulations on your fantastic book, Dana!

I can't wait to read this book. Your blog has inspired me to go watch the news :). I discovered this blog through Romance Magicians where Mareen Miller had blogged today. I'll definitly be back to visit.

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A recipe that includes a dash of desperation, a smidgen of danger, a dollop of adventure and a healthy portion of passion. Sprinkle a happy ending on top and you have the perfect meal. - JUST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE